The San Francisco 49ers faced the Seattle Seahawks on November 23rd in Week 12 of the 2023 NFL season. Here are takeaways and highlights from the game.
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Final Score: 49ers 31, Seahawks 13
The reunion between NFC West rivals was expected to go San Francisco’s way. That is exactly what unfolded on Thanksgiving Night with Brock Purdy and company taking care of business in a big way. The 49ers took a 24-3 lead before halftime and never looked back en route to a 31-13 win.
Deebo Samuel opened the scoring with his third rushing touchdown of the season to set the tone. The Seahawks were able to respond on a Jason Myers 51-yard field goal but were then silenced until a Jordyn Brooks pick-six in the third quarter, his first career interception. Another Myers field goal brought the Seahawks within 11 points by the end of the third, but a Purdy touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk sealed the victory for San Francisco.
San Francisco dominated almost every aspect of the game, including time of possession. The Niners owned the rock for 35.5 minutes as opposed to Seattle’s 24.5. Meanwhile, on the ground, Christian McCaffrey showed once more why he should earn at least a few MVP votes by going for 114 yards on 19 carries and two scores.
In contrast, this was a night to forget for the Seahawks. Nothing clicked on offense from top to bottom, with Geno Smith only throwing for 180 yards and one interception just four days removed from suffering a serious elbow injury. Zach Charbonnet only tallied 47 rushing yards and no receiver caught more than three passes. Aside from Brooks’s pick-six, Seattle’s defense also had a down night, further contributing to this loss.
Highlights
Deebo to the house 🏡 @19problemz#SFvsSEA on @SNFonNBC
NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/Lpys75IYs6— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 24, 2023
We'll take that! @Tavonn_#SFvsSEA on @SNFonNBC
NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/MWcVJYZCjp— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 24, 2023
Brooks takes it in for six. pic.twitter.com/eGnNsoOVxz
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 24, 2023
Looking Forward
In all senses, this was an expected outcome, though perhaps more of a blowout than we could have anticipated. As a direct result of this game, San Francisco moves to 8-3 while Seattle drops to 6-5. These teams will once again meet in San Francisco on Dec. 10.
For San Francisco, the win moves them directly into a tie with the Lions for the NFC’s No. 2 overall seed after Detroit lost to the Packers. The rematch of last season’s NFC Conference Championship now looms very large as the 49ers will travel to Philadelphia next Sunday to take on the 9-1 Eagles. From there, the 49ers will finish out against division-rival Arizona, then Baltimore, Washington, and Los Angeles.
For Seattle, concern is now beginning to mount after back-to-back losses. Sitting at 6-5, the Seahawks sit in a tie for the sixth seed with the Minnesota Vikings and are suddenly just one game ahead of Green Bay in the Wild Card hunt after their upset of the Lions. The schedule does not get any more favorable for Seattle, either, with four of their remaining six contests against teams very much in the playoff hunt themselves (at Dallas, at San Francisco, vs. Philadelphia, vs. Pittsburgh). Seattle needs to get back on track quickly or else they risk falling out of the mix altogether.
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